Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Beirut is roughly 42% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$32.86 COP 117.4K

81.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

13.40%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$1.71 COP 6,115

91.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.10 COP 3,924

43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$1.68 COP 5,997

105.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.09 COP 3,906

64.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-32.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.38 COP 4,922

31.88%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$2.19 COP 7,827

45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$4.40 COP 15.7K

161.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

70.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$8.89 COP 31.8K

27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.06 COP 3,777

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.50 COP 5,374

-23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.38 COP 4,924

-21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.16 COP 4,155

-10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.89 COP 3,182

-8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.84 COP 2,997

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.28 COP 8,145

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.20 COP 4,284

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.47 COP 8,824

-10.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$0.86 COP 3,056

127.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$41.40 COP 147.9K

71.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$1.47 COP 5,264

236.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.96 COP 7,009

-34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$7.74 COP 27.6K

157.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-5.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$18.1K COP 64.7M

92.05%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$26.5K COP 94.6M

4.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$218 LBP 19.5M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

164.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$9.50 COP 33.9K

294.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$24.23 COP 86.5K

53.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$25.89 COP 92.4K

164.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

$19.00 COP 67.9K

57.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

106.87%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$297 LBP 26.6M

$309 COP 1.1M

-3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-26.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$58.7 COP 209.5K

22.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$32.35 COP 115.5K

38.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$103 COP 366.4K

17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$108 COP 387.2K

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$476 COP 1.7M

69.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$379 COP 1.4M

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$838 COP 3.0M

141.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

31.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

32.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

63.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

$512 COP 1.8M

27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

13.43

-16.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beirut vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beirut pays 27% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $809 in Beirut versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 72% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.